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  • Eternal’s Lakshman Rekha, Musk Eyes India, and BluSmart’s New Probable Owner

Eternal’s Lakshman Rekha, Musk Eyes India, and BluSmart’s New Probable Owner

Plus fundraising news about Good Monk and Wow! Momo

Zopper trims 100 employees as it rejigs its growth path, while Eternal (formerly Zomato) draws a bold Lakshman Rekha—foreign ownership capped at 49.5%. Meanwhile, Elon Musk eyes India for Tesla and Starlink’s next pitstop after a chat with PM Modi. And in the EV lanes, Eversource Capital may snap up BluSmart and plug it into Lithium Urban for a $100 Mn-powered merger. Besides, there’s also Startu Spotlight to savor.

Grab your simmering cup of StartupChai.in and unwind with our hand-brewed memes.

“Tum Sab Apna Apna Dekh Lo”: Elevation Capital-Backed Zopper Fires 100 Employees

Zopper, backed by Elevation Capital, just hit the brakes—laying off around 100 employees since January. The latest cut saw 50 folks from tech and product teams let go earlier this week.

Looks like the startup is recalibrating its insurance tech engine amid tough market turns.

Read more here

“Garv Se Swadesi”: Eternal To Cap Foreign Ownership At Under 50%

Eternal, the company formerly known as Zomato, wants to keep things desi—literally. It’s capping foreign ownership at 49.5% to ensure it stays an Indian-owned-and-controlled company.

The board’s on board, and now it’s over to the shareholders for the final bite.

Read more here

“Ye Bandhan Toh Pyaar Ka Bandhan Hai”: Tesla CEO Elon Musk To Visit India Later This Year

Elon Musk is finally setting his sights on India—literally. After a chat with PM Modi about tech and innovation, Musk’s visit later this year could rev up Tesla and Starlink’s long-awaited entry into the country.

With India–US trade talks in the background, this trip might just be more electric than usual.

Read more here

“Rishta Wahi, Soch Nayi”: PE Firm Eversource Capital In Talks To Acquire BluSmart

BluSmart might be getting a new ride—private equity firm Eversource Capital is in talks to buy it for up to ₹1,000 Cr.

But there’s a catch: the Jaggi brothers may have to exit the driver’s seat. If the deal goes through, BluSmart could merge with Lithium Urban and get a $100 Mn electric boost.

Read more here

  1. Good Monk just bagged $2 Mn in Pre-Series A funding, with RPSG Capital Ventures leading the charge. Existing backers like Multiply Ventures and Sharrp Ventures also joined the nutrition party.
    Read more here

  2. Wow! Momo is reportedly cooking up a fresh ₹150 Cr in bridge funding, led by Khazanah Nasional and Haldiram’s Kamal Agrawal. The momo giant seems hungry for expansion ahead of its much-anticipated IPO.
    Read more here

“Sanson Ki Zarurat Hai Jaise”: Airth Turning Everyday ACs Into Life-Saving Air Purifiers

Breathe easy—Airth is turning your regular AC into a silent air-purifying warrior. The Delhi-based startup wowed Shark Tank India with its DIY air purifier add-on, landing ₹96 lakhs from Aman and Vineeta for a 4% slice.

With 30,000+ ACs already upgraded, Airth’s mission to clean India's indoor air is very much in full flow.

Read full story here

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